Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is the most common chronic diseases and high prevalence in worldwide. A global estimate in the prevalence of diabetes indicates a growing burden, particularly in developing countries. The major symptom of type 2 diabetes is high levels of glucose in the blood. The recent long-term mega trials showed that intensive glycemic control could reduce the aggravation of insulin resistance and T2DM symptom (Avogaro, “Treating diabetes today with gliclazide MR: a matter of numbers.” Diabetes Obes Metab 14 Suppl 1: 14-19, 2012). This is the reason why insulin-sensitizing agents become more valuable for the glycemic control. However, it is still desirable to develop a method and pharmaceutical composition with low toxicity, preferably from natural compounds for treatment of diabetes mellitus, particular in T2DM.
Levin provided a composition consisting essentially of a refined oil carrier, and a non-toxic physiologically active compound selected from the class consisting of octacosanol, triacontanol, tetracosanol, and hexacosanol; and a method of increasing oxygen utilization in human beings comprising administering to human being a pharmaceutical composition comprising the composition (U.S. Pat. No. 3,031,376, 1962).
Clark provided a treatment for inflammatory skin diseases through a topical application of an ointment base containing triaconstanol (U.S. Pat. No. 4,670,471, 1987).
Granja et al. provides a mixture of higher primary aliphatic alcohols of 22 to 38 carbon atoms that can be obtained by saponifying and extracting steps with organic solvents from sugar cane wax. It was disclosed that the mixture contains tetracosanol, hexacosanol, heptacosanol, octacosanol, nonacosanol, triacotanol, dotriacontanol, and tetratriacontanol, and it can be used for the treatment of hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerotic complications as platelet hyperaggregabiulity, ischemia, and thrombosis, the prevention of drug induced gastric ulcer and the improvement of male sexual activity (U.S. Pat. No. 5,663,156, 1997).
Recently, Fuenzalida Diaz et al. provided a process to obtain tetracosanol from a complex mixture derived from tall oil pitch (US Patent Publication No. 2012/0125762 al, 2012).